Simple Exchange
by SweetBabyGurl
Summary: He held her father captive, and she would do anything set him free again, never realizing that no matter how much freedom he gave her, she would always be his personal prisoner.
1. Prologue

**Summary**: He held her father prisoner, and she would do anything set him free again, never realizing that no matter how much freedom he gave her, she would always be his prisoner.

**Note**: So yes, I am well aware that many of you thought me to be dead, but when you're in university having two majors _and_ a minor, that's what you feel like sometimes. I've been watching a lot of childhood movies recently and I got inspired to write – something that hasn't happened for a long time now. So here's the prologue. I hope you all enjoy it. Don't forget to drop a review to let me know what you think. Thanks and happy reading =)

**Simple Exchange  
Prologue  
**

"Sakura?" an aging man called from the bottom of his household beige carpeted steps. He adjusted his finely framed lenses that sat upon his nose and ran a hand through his salt and pepper colored hair.

"Yes, father? You aren't leaving already are you?" A woman with flowing waist-length honey locks and worried emerald green eyes asked.

"No, no. I don't leave for my dig until tomorrow. But, I do need to stop by at Li's house. I wanted to know if you wanted to come with me," he asked his daughter with a charming smile.

"For what? So his snobbish, inconsiderate, brat of a son can hit on me and look as though he's tearing my clothes off with his eyes… again?" Sakura asked, rolling her eyes and crossing her tanned arms over her full chest.

"Now, Sakura. They are old friends of the family…" he trailed off, anticipating his stubborn and hot-headed daughter's reaction.

"Fujitaka Kinomoto! How can you approve of that… that… that _thing_?! I would rather be single and alone for the rest of my life than reproduce with _him_!" Sakura cried to her father, walking past him to sit on the table.

"It's just… Sakura," Fujitaka sighed, "just as you're getting older, so am I. Touya is happily married with a family and I just want to be able to see you experience the same joy. I won't be around for too much longer and I just want you to be happy."

"Father, he tore my life apart," Sakura whispered, a far away look in her eyes. "How can I be happy? I want nothing to do with him."

"I just want to see you smile again, like you used to," Fujitaka replied, a sad smile upon his lips.

"What would make me smile is if you stopped talking as if you were going to drop dead tomorrow and go see the Li's without me while making it back to the house in time so we can have our dinner before your trip," Sakura replied with a sigh, handing her father a light coat. It appeared as if a storm was brewing in the last of these summer months.

"Alright, alright. I'll be home in a while Sakura," he sighed once more as he seemed to be doing a lot that evening, and kissed his daughter's forehead goodbye before leaving.

A fist slammed down on the mahogany table centered in a dimly candle-lit cellar with both frustration and anger.

"Fujitaka, you can't keep doing this to me," a man with messy grey locks and piercing amber eyes commented with clenched teeth.

"Lian, I am leaving for Egypt tomorrow. I will bring it back with me this time," Fujitaka told him sternly.

"You told me that if I made it so you could marry Nadeshiko then you would bring the artifact to the elders. It's been nearly 30 years now. What am I to tell them? They keep on asking me… keep on telling me," Lian trailed off painfully.

"Asking you what? Telling you what?" Fujitaka asked, sensing the pain his friend's voice and adapting a tone of urgency in his own.

"They keep on asking if you're good for your word. And if you are as good as I say you are, then we should keep something just as precious to you that was as precious as Nadeshiko was to them," Lian whispered.

"What are you talking about?" Fujitaka asked in confusion. His chocolate brown eyes widened in instant realization. "No… no, you can't have her," he whispered back.

"It's too late," Lian whispered sadly.

"Father? Father, what's so urgent that the Li servants had to call me? Are you alright, what's happened?" A feminine voice familiar to Fujitaka's ears rang through the dim cellar as the doors were burst open.

"Sakura? Sakura get out of here now!" Fujitaka cried, running over to her.

"Lian? Father, what is going on?" Sakura cried bewildered as she saw guards that seemed to appear from no where surround her.

"Sakura, I'm sorry things have to be this way. But we will be taking you until your father can provide us something promised long ago," Lian told the younger girl solemnly.

"Take me instead Lian. I'll send for it immediately. My son will go and get it. He," Fujitaka suddenly stopped speaking, a spasm of coughs and shakes attacking his throat and chest. Lian nodded in understanding.

"Very well. Guards!" Lian called, gaining the undivided attention of the guards who were still standing on the sidelines. "Take the girl outside and Fujitaka to the cells."

"No! Father!" Sakura cried while being forced outside by the waist. "He's sick, without his medicine he'll die!" She cried whilst banging on the door that slammed in her face. She was on the main floor again.

"Tsk, tsk. Sakura, Sakura, Sakura. Don't you know by now that acting like a barbarian will get you nowhere at all?" A husky voice asked beside her ear, so closely she could feel his hot breath on her neck. Shivering at the discomfort she whirled around and pushed him back away from her.

"Well what the hell do you expect me to do Li? Your father has taken mine for prisoner!" Sakura cried, her eyes brimming with tears.

"There, there little cherry blossom," he replied to anguish in a condescending manner. "We can make it right."

"What?" Sakura gasped, not believing the man she grew up to hate was actually willing to help her. "How?"

"Well, it depends how steep of a price you're willing to pay," he continued in his sensual voice.

"Anything, I'll do anything so my father can be free and well," Sakura replied breathlessly, staring into his entrancing orbs.

"We'll do a simple exchange is all," he told her, beginning to circle her like a hawk would its prey.

"What… what kind of exchange?" Sakura asked, afraid of the answer.

"Well freedom for freedom. That kind of thing," he began innocently. "All you have to do is…" he smiled crookedly in her direction, the bangs of his dark chocolate locks falling into his eyes.

"Marry me."

"Why are you doing this Lian?" Fujitaka asked from the inside of the damp cell they had placed him in.

"I don't want to, but I have no choice Fujitaka. I need to do what's best for my family," Lian told him.

"By hurting mine?!" Fujitaka cried, outraged. "I gave the elders what they wanted, but they kept on asking for more. Even after Nadeshiko left us."

"Let him go father," a man with a deep masculine voice interrupted their conversation.

"Ryu? We can't," Lian told his son sadly.

"Yes, we can," Ryu replied, smiling roguishly. "We had a new prisoner now," he told his father while throwing Sakura in front of him where she stumbled and fell to the ground.

"No, Sakura," Fujitaka whispered solemnly, while Lian simply inclined his head.

"Father?" Another voice from the top of the cellar stairs asked.

Everyone instantly looked up to the stranger who stood at the top of the stairs, duffel bags and suitcases around him. He looked exactly like Ryu; the same intense amber eyes, the same messy chocolate coloured hair, the same tanned skin. The only differences were that his lips were fuller, he had more of an athletic build and everything about his features seemed lighter; happier; purer.

"Ah, Syaoran. It's a shame you've always been off to school and have never met the Kinomoto daughter. You should get familiar with your brother's soon-to-be wife, Sakura Kinomoto."

Sakura raised his head slowly to lock shocked eyes with the younger brother of her new fiancée. Seeing him, she choked upon recognition. She gasped for eye and began to sob quietly.

"Not him, anyone… anyone but him."

**TBC**


	2. Chapter 1

*****READ AUTHOR'S NOTE IF YOU WANT THIS STORY TO CONTINUE*****

**Note:** Firstly, thank you for all of the support that you've given even though I've been off fanfiction for almost two years now. Yikes. I appreciate all of the individuals who have favorited this story or favorited me as an author. That means a lot. But I do need reviews to continue. I won't be sure that people are actually finding this worth reading if I don't receive reviews. Even a couple worded review saying 'I liked it' is enough. With that said, let's continue onto the first chapter, shall we?

**Simple Exchange  
Chapter One**

Dressed in a silk pale green empire waist nightgown, Sakura sat numbly, looking without seeing at her reflection in the mirror as she brushed her honey locks gently, her fingertips running through them as the brush stroked down. She recalled what her father had told her.

"_Sakura, a long time ago, before I met your mother, Ryu's father, Lian, and I were friends. We did just about everything together; we had been together since pre-school. But as we approached college, a group of influential members of the Li Clan, the Elders, wanted Lian to take over and become the leader. Lian didn't want to of course, but the Elders were persistent saying they would not only disown him, but cut him off from his family and inheritance entirely," Fujitaka explained to his daughter._

"_But, why? How could a group of people be so heartless? And what's so special about the Li family? Touya and I grew up with Ryu and he didn't seem like anything special," Sakura asked, rolling her eyes at the last part statement._

"_What makes them so special is the fact that they are royalty Sakura; they are direct descendants of the Emperor. They never wanted to take control of China; they just wanted to influence it in the shadows. And to lead this strong clan is a burden that Lian never wanted to bear. So, he thought he would pass it off to his sister… Nadeshiko," Fujitaka continued, causing Sakura to gasp audibly._

"_Mom was a part of the Li family? And I have to marry Ryu? Gross! I am not marrying my own cousin father, you mark my words. I will not be a part of incest!" Sakura cried, outraged but utterly relieved at the same time to find a way out the mess she had gotten herself into._

"_Nadeshiko was adopted into the clan at a young age Sakura. So Ryu and Syaoran are not really your family members. The Elders never let Nadeshiko forget that she was not of their blood and only wanted someone who was a 'true' Li to run the clan. But they still knew they had to do right by her since she grew up knowing all of the Li secrets. Their plan was to marry her off to one of the Emperors at the time; that way they would be rid of her and still have a spy to look over the inner affairs of China. The only problem with that was Nadeshiko and I were already in love. The Elders would never approve of me as a match for her, seeing how I was a ways away from their social standing and was quite a few years older than your mother, so I promised that I would bring them the Hand of Midas," Fujitaka explained, recalling the memory._

"_What's the Hand of Midas?" Sakura asked, confused. Her father told her about all kinds of things he had found or was trying to find, but she had never heard him mention this one._

"_The Hand of Midas is a piece of solid gold in the shape of a hand that turns anything it touches into solid gold as well," Fujitaka continued to tell his daughter a story that hadn't been told to anyone."It brings fortune beyond compare."_

"_And you gave that to them, didn't you?" Sakura asked, to which Fujitaka nodded the answer. "So then what are they asking for now?"_

"_When they found that I would give up something so valuable for your mother, they made me bring them back something every time I went on a dig. There was always some rare and precious artifact that they sought, and I was the perfect little scavenger boy," Fujitaka remarked bitterly. _

"_It was sort of like a payment. Nadeshiko was furious because she felt like a toy; something that could only be bought. But she knew that I was doing it so I could love her and live freely with her while knowing the Elders couldn't annul our marriage at any time. Then she got sick and when she passed… the Elders said it was my fault and that I would need to continue to bring them valuables otherwise they would ruin me as an archeologist and would have you and Touya taken away," Fujitaka finished._

"_And I'm guessing you haven't brought them something in a while?" Sakura asked._

"_It isn't just a something that you can pick up from the many sands in Egypt. This is something specific they have wanted: the cup of youth. Anyone who drinks from that cup is returned to the age where their body was at its best condition. And considering the Elders are all old, who can blame them for wanting it? I had tried giving them other things, but they wanted nothing else but the cup," Fujitaka explained._

"_So they will hold me until you find this thing or else I'll have to marry Ryu and stay with him for the rest of my life?" Sakura asked bitterly._

"_I'm so sorry Sakura, my darling daughter," Fujitaka told her in a heartbroken tone, taking his daughter into his arms._

A knock startled Sakura out of her reverie. She grabbed the matching robe that hung over the chair of her vanity and wrapped it around her lithe body before answering the door.

"Ryu," Sakura muttered darkly, seeing her fiancée standing before her with the ever present smug smirk upon his lips.

"Oh dear wife-to-be," Ryu answered mockingly, a hand upon his heart, "we will be married by the end of the year. I would think you would be pleased to see me."

"I would be much more pleased to see the reaper," Sakura drawled, trying to shut the heavy wooden door in his face, but he was too quick and too strong for her feminine movements.

"Now, now little cherry blossom, you will have to fulfill your wifely duties," he told her with a wolfish smile, "and I assure you, you won't be thinking you've seen the reaper once I'm through with you."

"I'll have you know that there will be nothing physical of this marriage. Do you understand me? I agreed to marry you, nothing else," she hissed at him in a hard, even tone.

"And I'll have you know it is part of the Li code that the marriage must be consummated in order for it to be found valid in the eyes of the Elders. In addition to the small fact, an heir must be produced by the end of the first year," Ryu corrected.

Sakura suddenly blanched at the thought. She had gotten herself way in over her head. Have sex, with _him_? And make another one of him? She shuddered at the thought.

"Ah, I see you're anticipating this grand event little blossom. Don't worry, the time will come soon enough. Just wait until our wedding night," he told her with another grin before walking away so she could be alone with her thoughts of disgust and anger.

She set her lips into a fine line and stared at the spot where her future husband had previously stood. She had gotten all of the information she needed from her father, so that was cleared. The problem of Ryu would never be dealt with. If it were up to her, Sakura would rather have him dead. She only had few things left to do before she could find a way to get herself and her father out of this horrible mess.

Shutting the heavy door, she walked to her bedside, picking up the phone. Thinking twice that it could be bugged, she set it down before she dug her cell phone from her purse, not feeling home at all. She and Ryu were to live in separate rooms until they were wed, and Sakura had yet to get her things from her home. That was the first thing she would do tomorrow. In the meanwhile, the Li household had hospitably provided clothing for her.

She took out the slim silver phone, flipped it open and went through her contact list. Finding the one she desired, she pressed the phone to her ear, awaiting a particular voice.

"Hello? Tomoyo-chan? It's me. Something has happened and I'll need you to pass the message on to Touya and Eriol as quickly as possible; they'll know what to do," Sakura began before she told her best friend and cousin of the problems that lay ahead.

If Ryu thought she would take this blackmail lying down, then despite the fact they had grown up together, he truly did not know her at all.

* * *

It had been a long and tormenting day for Sakura. She was emotionally and physically drained and had decided to go to bed early. No more than an hour into her sleep she heard a sharp rapping upon her bedroom door.

Seething, she threw off the covers, not even bothering the fix the strap of her nightgown that exposed her bare shoulder, ready to give who she thought to be Ryu a piece of her mind. She threw the door open, felt her rage leave her and held still.

"Sakura," he whispered her name tenderly.

This was not the brother she had expected to see.

"Syaoran… what are you doing here?" She asked wearily, who was suddenly self-conscious of her appearance began to fix the straps of her nightdress and comb her fingers through her hair.

"Can I come in? We need to talk," he stated once more, his soft amber eyes meeting her anxious emerald ones.

With a moment's hesitation she nodded before she opened the door wider so he could slip into her room, dreading the talk they would share.

**TBC**


	3. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** Thank you for all of the wonderful reviews. As long as they keep up I'll definitely keep updating. I'm in university studying law, so it's crazy hectic for me since exams are coming. But if this is something you guys want to read, I'll give it to you. I just need to know consistently that this is what you want. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter. I listened to Paramore by Decode from the Twilight soundtrack while I was writing this. I'm pretty sure the song will give you a better ambiance if you read the chapter while listening to that song. Also, the filler chapters are almost done and the real stuff will be starting soon. Okay, on to the chapter!

**This goes for all chapters: I do not own CCS or anything like it.**

**Simple Exchange  
Chapter 2**

She sat on her silken sheets, the small throw that came with her bed set wrapped around her shoulders. The room was warm, but something about the look on his face left her cold.

"I won't make any assumptions until I know all the facts. But did _everything_ mean nothing to you?" Syaoran asked, his back facing her, but she could only imagine his facial expression by hearing the strain in his voice.

"If that's what you think, then you're more of a fool then I have ever thought," she answered bitterly, hurt that he would even say such a thing.

"How can you blame me Sakura?" He asked in a harsh tone, rounding on her.

"How can I blame you? _You_ left _me_, Syaoran," she replied in an even tone.

"I didn't just leave you. I told you there were things I had to sort out on my own," Syaoran told her after a short pause so he could collect his thoughts.

"Apparently you don't really remember everything that happened. We met while were both in our freshman year, far away from home. You were used to it since you did the whole boarding school thing. I wasn't; so you comforted me. Then we found out we lived across the hall from one another.

"You had a girlfriend at the time, so I didn't want to overstep any boundaries, but we became friends quickly – we connected too quickly. When I started to like you, I knew it was wrong, so I accepted a few of the dates guys had asked me on," she reminded him quickly

"You knew I hated to see you with anyone else. You belonged to me; you still belong to me," he told her in a tender tone, taking a step forward.

"But you said nothing. You were still with Dina. Eventually we left for the summer and still you said and did nothing. I tried to e-mail you, I tried to call but you refused to speak to me. When we came back things were different. The roles were reversed. You had broken up with her, but I had a boyfriend then. Unlike you, I knew if I wanted to stay faithful to Kenji I had to stay away from you. But we both knew how well that went.

"We were together for two years and we were happy. You didn't want us to meet each other's family until you knew we were serious and taking steps to be together forever. I didn't have anything against it, I just found it weird. As soon as I knew I was serious about a guy he met my family; but you didn't do things the same way so I did my best to respect it," she reminded him of his conspicuous ways.

"I wanted to meet your family Sakura and I wanted you to meet mine. It's just that… things were complicated. I knew our families were friends and that you detested my brother, and he had some sick tendencies with you. I just didn't know what to make of it all," Syaoran tried to explain, taking another step towards her.

"You knew that our families were old friends? I went on and on about your family, but you said nothing the whole time?" Sakura asked, voice growing louder with each word.

"Like I said, it was complicated," Syaoran told her uneasily.

"You played me for a fool!" Sakura screamed st him. "Is that why when I said I thought it was about time for you meet my father and my brother with his family you ran like a coward?" Sakura asked angrily.

"I didn't run," Syaoran replied defensively.

"Saying that you couldn't do it and if this is what I really wanted then we shouldn't be together, and yet you still love me. To me, that sure as hell sounds like running," she spoke spitefully.

"Like I said, things were complicated with Ryu," Syaoran winced at the truth of her words. He really was a fool, he began to realize.

"Then why did I catch you sleeping with her?" Sakura asked; her voice breaking. "Did those years mean nothing to you?"

"What?" He asked quietly, eyes wide.

"I went to your apartment to try and work things out. But instead, I saw and heard you two," Sakura laughed bitterly.

"Me? What about you? I leave to see how my grandmother is doing; I come back to school to hear that you've been all over Kenji!" Syaoran shouted, causing Sakura to jump up and meet him nose to nose.

"I tried to explain everything to you. I saw Kenji at the bar where some of the girls and I went to try and unwind a little. I got separated from them and he raped me Syaoran," Sakura told him for the first time, eyes filling with unshed tears. "He raped me."

"What?" Syaoran whispered, falling back a few strides from shock.

"You never even gave me a chance to explain. So I didn't bother even trying. If you truly loved me then you would have at least heard me out and not gone off accusing me," Sakura whispered, turning her back on him this time.

Syaoran took a few steps forward and wrapped his arms around her lithe body. He pressed his face into the crook of her neck.

"I'm sorry. I was foolish. You do know that I'm going to kill him right?" He whispered in her ear. She knew it would be best if she shrugged him off, but found that deep down inside, a small part of her didn't want to.

"You don't have the right to do that anymore. Touya put him in a coma anyway," Sakura replied with a sardonic smile.

"I guess someone had to do it," Syaoran muttered, tightening his hold on her.

"And it wasn't you since you were busy fucking Dina," she replied coldly. That memory was enough to push him off of her and cause her to walk to her vanity to brush her hair that she knew was mostly likely in disarray.

"I was drunk," Syaoran tried to negotiate.

"That's not an excuse. I've shoved many guys away while I was drunk," Sakura replied quickly, knowing he was going to say something of the sort.

"But we… we weren't even together either," Syaoran told her slowly and painfully.

"And I suppose that's enough for you have someone else warm your bed," she voiced critically. "Besides, don't you dare use that condescending tone with me; whose fault is that? Surely, not mine; I just wanted you to be more apart of my life," Sakura told him as she continued to stroke her hair.

"I remember you used to brush your hair a million times before going to bed and I would always mess it up just to see you pout cutely like you always did when you were upset," Syaoran recalled fondly.

"I'm engaged to your brother. Those memories are just pieces of the past, they mean nothing now," she told him harshly. They were words that she repeated to herself whenever she thought of him longingly ever since they separated that winter.

"Ryu told me everything. I'm going to talk to father and try to make it so you're engaged to me instead," Syaoran told her boldly, causing her to drop her brush and whip around to face him.

"Don't you dare," she snapped angrily.

"What? Why?" Syaoran asked, shaking his head in confusion. Wouldn't this be something she wanted, or at least better than marry the scum he had for a brother.

"I heard you. When Dina was asking you why she should take you back, you told her I was nothing. You told her I meant nothing. You told her I was quick fix; that you needed to satisfy your carnal desires while you were away at school. But then, you realized there was no one like her. You took _her_ to meet your _family_. You told her that you never loved me the way you loved her. You told her I was a toy. You told her you grew tired of me," she spoke every word carefully; words that ran through her head every night when she could be alone with her thoughts.

"Sakura…" Syaoran began, not knowing where to start, his face pale, never knowing she had heard those lies he told his ex-girlfriend.

"I gave you everything. But it was never enough. Now, you'll never have me. You'll watch me marry your brother, you'll watch me take over the Li Clan with your brother, and you'll watch me raise children with your brother. I'll be your sister, you'll never escape seeing me and him together," Sakura told him evenly, meeting him the eye so he knew she played no games; so he knew this was real.

"Who are you?" Syaoran asked, his face twisting up in a mixture of bewilderment, shock and rage.

"I am Sakura Kinomoto. And I will _never_ be yours," she told him a deathly quiet tone.

"Mark my words," he sneered at her, grabbing her roughly by the upper arm. "I will die before I let him have you."

"I am not a prize to be won," she all but shouted at him and she snatched her arm back.

"Maybe not. But you will be mine. You and I talked of a family together. You may not want to have one with me any longer, but you sure as hell won't have one with him," were his last words before he stalked out of her room, slamming the door shut behind him.

"How did we get here? I thought I knew you so well," Sakura whispered to herself. "Who have you become?" She asked the reflection in the mirror.

**End Notes:**

Dina - Syaoran's ex  
Kenji - Sakura's ex

Some people might ask how Touya didn't get into any legal trouble for putting Kenji into a coma. It was basically an eye for an eye situation. If Sakura won't press charges (it's not something she wanted to do), then Kenji's parents won't press charges on his behalf. Plus since Kenji would be an adult, it would be all mixed up since he didn't anticipate getting put into a coma and didn't leave any legal action notes.


	4. Chapter 3

**Author's Note:** Hey there everyone. Thank you for all of the lovely reviews. Sorry it's taken me so long to update, I'm writing this chapter on the train ride home. So now that the majority of the introductions and formalities are out of the way. The story can finally really start. For those of you who have read my other stories, you know the first couple chapters are really explanatory chapters. Then the real stuff starts happening. So, here's the real stuff =) Don't forget to drop a review to let me know what you thought. Thanks a lot and happy reading!

**Simple Exchange  
Chapter 3**

Sakura lay down on her back, staring at the ceiling. She recalled the ill tempered conversation she shared with Syaoran.

She was a fool. A bloody fool.

What the hell did she think she was saying? Telling him she would have a family and marry that disgusting pig. Was she insane?

With a grimace and a groan, she rolled over, attempting to suffocate herself slightly with the pillow. Maybe the lack of oxygen would make her stop herself for a fall. She squeezed her emerald eyes shut tightly before pinching herself hard on the harm. With a low hiss of pain, she recognized that this was not a dream indeed.

She had thought that only such dramatic and tumultuous things happened in story books, soap operas and movies. Apparently not, and she was living proof of that. How had everything seemed so normal only just the other day and now it seemed as if her whole world was falling apart? She would have to marry and consummate the relationship with that Li scum. She shuddered and nearly gagged at the mere thought.

But Syaoran... she had done her best to put him out of her mind the moment she discovered she meant absolutely nothing to him. She had done her best to forget him by going to the bars and clubs with her friends and going on several dates. But no matter who she was with, she couldn't help but stop to compare them with Syaoran. She loved him so dearly and it nearly broke her when she learned the truth.

She threw off the covers and shook her head as if to rid herself from the thoughts she always wandered back to.

It was the morning and she was done reflecting. She needed to get started and put her plan into action. Touya and her close family friend Hiiragizawa Eriol had been updated about the situation. All she needed to do was stay in the Li family's good graces until they got to the Li mansion as well. She snorted at that thought.

Well, at least Lian still thought highly of her. For now.

She stepped into the shower, the hot water relaxing her tense muscles and began to get ready for the first day of war.

* * *

  
"Kaho, I have to go," a man who appeared to be approaching his early thirties told his wife in a resigned manner, rumpling his dark locks, bright brown eyes no longer shining with the mirth it once did at the beginning of the marriage.

"You have a commitment to this family Kinomoto Touya," a tall, ashen faced woman told him determinedly, hair red as fire flipping over her creamy shoulder.

"I know I have a commitment to you and Haiko, Kaho. But whether you like it or not, Sakura is my baby sister. No matter how much you hate her that fact will always remain as well as the fact that I will always do my best to help her when she needs me," Touya tried explaining to her one more time.

"Your little sister isn't as innocent as you make her out to be. She has sex with someone and then later regrets it, so she tells everyone Kenji raped her? I think it's pathetic," Kaho scoffed, picking up their baby girl in her arms.

"I will not go over this with you again," Touya told her in a tone of authority, eyes suddenly hardening. "She is of my blood and that's all you need to concern yourself with."

"Your sister ruined my brother's life!" Kaho hissed at him, holding Haiko close to her chest.

"I won't hear anymore of this. Eriol and I will be going to the Li mansion in a few days. You may bring the baby and yourself if you wish. But if you have anything to say about the incident then I suggest you stay here and away from me for the time being," Touya told his wife, a cold air about him. With one last hard look in her direction, he took his daughter from her, put her to bed and left Kaho alone with her thoughts.

* * *

  
"Eriol-san are you sure that you should just rush in there without any plan whatsoever?" Amethyst eyes peered at the man with azure eyes with worry.

"I don't know what else to do Tomoyo-san. It sounds like Sakura's in a real serious bind. I'll have to go there and evaluate the situation before we can seriously do anything about it," he scratched the back of his electric black head.

"I know all about how much she needs you. But you know how crazy the Li's are. You're related to them! Who knows what they're capable of doing," Tomoyo told him worriedly, biting her lower lip, her already pastel face paling another shade at the types of torture they could put him through if they found out what he was planning on doing.

"You're such a good friend Tomoyo-san, but I'm sure I'll be alright," Eriol told her, flashing a grin in her direction. Tomoyo offered a strained one in return, heart breaking at the mere word friend.

"Tomoyo-san, are you alright?" Eriol asked worriedly. She didn't answer because she didn't know how and just continued to look down at her hands. "Don't worry," he told her softly, lifting her face to meet her eyes by the chin. "After all, as you said, I'm one of them. I know their limits."

* * *

  
"Li Lian. You have asked the council to meet you. As the leader of the Li Clan, we have granted your request. What is the issue you wish to address?" One of the elders of the Li council asked, referring to Ryu and Syaoran's father.

"I wish to set the Kinomoto girl free. Kinomoto Fujitaka has fulfilled your wishes time and time again, but nothing seems to satisfy you people. It is wrong to take a mere child from her family for monetary value," Lian spoke forcefully.

"Is she old enough to be wed?" One of the elders asked.

"Yes," Lian answered curtly.

"Is she well enough to conceive?" Another asked him.

"I believe so," Lian replied after a moment's hesitation.

Just as he saw the most malicious elder begin to speak, another raised his hand to stop him.

"We shall take into consideration your request. Leave," a voice full of authority sounded. Bowing with respect he no longer had for these people he had once admired, he left thinking of a way to get his best friend and his family of out this horrible situation.

* * *

  
A knock sounded at his door as the elder Li brother got up from his desk where he was viewing a folder to answer the door.

"Ah, little brother! I haven't gotten a chance to welcome you home as of yet," Ryu told his baby brother with a genuine grin. "How was the trip? Any new girls you need to know about? How's that old Dina slut doing?"

"Ryu, I have a question for you," Syaoran asked in a hard tone, ignoring all of the previous questions.

"Of course, come in. Have a seat and you may ask me whatever you like," he told Syaoran, offering him another smile. Nodding, Syaoran stepped into his brother's room and pulled a chair to the desk where Ryu was working before he had answered the door.

"Why do you want to marry Sakura specifically? I've seen many women chase after you. But, she's absolutely repelled by you. So, why her? Especially since you know of my past history with her," Syaoran asked, confused. This was his older brother. He did everything he could to help him, so why hurt him so much now? Ryu stopped and looked at him for a moment. Nodding to himself he leaned forward slightly.

"When we were young, the elders wanted one of us to marry into the Kinomoto family. The Kinomoto's mother and they had a complicated relationship and had wanted us to be family again. So, they tried to set you two up when you were children since you were closer to each other's age, but she beat you up quite frequently," he told Syaoran with a laugh.

"When mother passed, the idea of all of us becoming family became something they wanted even more. So the elders decided to wait. Syaoran, you know how low your average was in high school. Did you think you really could have gotten into Tokyo U on your own? We got you in and made it so you lived close to one another. Everything was set," Ryu explained.

"You paid to get me in? All this time I've been thinking I got in on my own merit! So what now? Are you paying the professors to give me good grades?" Syaoran asked angrily.

"No," Ryu told him without a moment's hesitation. "We knew you weren't stupid. Just lazy. So we sent you away from our home to learn to take care of yourself. In the end you two did date, but it didn't work out. So this is what it has come to."

"Alright, that's a lot to digest," Syaoran told his brother truthfully. "Now my next question; did you know that Sakura was raped?"

Ryu was quiet for a long time.

"Syaoran, you're my brother. When you told me she was making you doubt yourself and the family I knew she had hurt you. So, I made an executive decision and arranged something." Ryu answered calmly.

"What?" Syaoran asked in quiet anger and shock.

"The Kinomotos are a prestigious family thanks to Kinomoto Fujitaka-san. Many go out of their way to make them happy. Who else do you think could arrange it Xiao Lang?" Ryu looked up, eyes cold.

**TBC**

**Notes: **A lot of things happen in this chapter, so allow me to deal with a couple of questions that will mostly likely come up and reaffirm some ideas. So yes, in this one Kaho is present, but she's not the good natured mothering figure she is in most. In case you didn't catch it, she is also Kenji's sister. Some people might be wondering what color electric black is. It's basically black that shines blue in all types of light. Although it may seem as if Syaoran's father couldn't care less what happened to Sakura, he does. He watched her grow up, so it's hard for him not to want what's best for her.


End file.
